3. mar. 2003

SMS literacy

"Education experts have warned of the potentially damaging effect on literacy of mobile phone text messaging after a pupil handed in an essay written in text shorthand. The 13-year-old girl submitted the essay to a teacher in a state secondary school in Scotland and explained that she found it easier than standard English."

The teenager's essay began: "My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2go2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 :- kds FTF. ILNY, it's a gr8 plc." which translates into "My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York. It's a great place."